Princess Coffee Cards now have expiration dates

What I am saying is I would like to see them create another package. Similar to the alcohol package, a person could get unlimited amounts of the non-alcoholic beverages including coffee and water. That way no one would have to deal with punches, and Princess wouldn’t have to worry that the cards are going to find their way to eBay because there wouldn’t be any.

 

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So would using the ***** when it's in full effect. No cards to punch so nothing to be sold on eBay.

We always buy 2 coffee cards knowing they will be good for specialty coffees on future cruises becasue some cruises we use the entire card,and other shorter cruises some have punches left over. If this new practice is instituted, we will no longer buy the cards and just pay as we go.

and for this unlimited non-alcoholic beverage package -be uses on a single cruise only, and must be purchased for all days of the cruise...

How much would you be willing to pay per day?

And remember, NO SHARING !!! :evilsmile::cool:

We just disembarked the Royal Princess today. Our coffee cards had an expiration date of December 2018 on them. We were told that our cruise was the first for the Royal that had the cards with expiration dates BUT they were also using up the old cards without expiration dates!!! So some had cards with expiration dates and others had cards without them. There were many complaints onboard. We were at the pursers desk when the person in front of us questioned the new practice. The person behind the desk actually called the corporate office back in California while we were standing in line and when she got off the phone she said that it is being implemented fleet wide and that cards would not be honored AFTER the expiration date. Old cards without the expiration dates will be honored for a time.....whatever that means.

 

Seems pretty petty to me to institute this change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We usually carry ours over for 2 or 3 cruises. It shouldn’t be a huge problem for us because we cruise 4-5 times a year but for those who are unable to cruise as often it really doesn’t seem fair. I’d be curious to know if Disney Cruises has the same policy? We have tickets left over from our 1st Disney World visit in 1973 and the last time we checked (2 years ago) they will still honour them!

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I'd like to address the ebay issue. I happen to sell a few coffee cards on ebay once in a while. These cards have already netted Princess their revenue when they were issued. I see it as no different then selling any gift card on any auction site. I think we'll see selling of these cards on our roll calls and meet and greet if Princess chooses to change their policy by adding an expiration date. If they eliminate the coffee cards altogether I will simply take my mini bar home with me and maybe use it maybe throw it away or give it away since I don't drink. I certainly won't leave it for Princess to reuse and net double revenue.

The other way the mini bar can be used is to trade it all for soda and thus eliminating the revenue from purchasing a soda card which I would consider. If Princess continues to downgrade the experience and raise the revenue people will consider more inclusive cruise lines.

So would using the ***** when it's in full effect. No cards to punch so nothing to be sold on eBay.

I suspect that adding an expiration date is in preparation to eliminating coffee cards with punches & being replaced with an ***** option only for the current cruise. It could either be a limited number of specialty coffee drinks per cruise or an unlimited number like the soda package.

And not having coffee cards would eliminate the eBay selling of them. Several years ago Princess coupon books had a BOGO coffee card offer which were also being sold on eBay. The next year they were eliminated from the coupon book which probably isn’t a coincidence as a result of them being sold on eBay.

Selling coffee cards on eBay is not prohibited but by eventually eliminating coffee cards that closes that loophole. And creating a coffee package as part of ***** would eliminate coffee cards & by adding an expiration date coffee cards will eventually be invalid.

It’s a financial decision Princess is making & adding expiration dates to coffee cards is probably the first step in transitioning to a cruise specific coffee package.

I suspect that adding an expiration date is in preparation to eliminating coffee cards with punches & being replaced with an ***** option only for the current cruise. It could either be a limited number of specialty coffee drinks per cruise or an unlimited number like the soda package.

 

And not having coffee cards would eliminate the eBay selling of them. Several years ago Princess coupon books had a BOGO coffee card offer which were also being sold on eBay. The next year they were eliminated from the coupon book which probably isn’t a coincidence as a result of them being sold on eBay.

 

Selling coffee cards on eBay is not prohibited but by eventually eliminating coffee cards that closes that loophole. And creating a coffee package as part of ***** would eliminate coffee cards & by adding an expiration date coffee cards will eventually be invalid.

 

It’s a financial decision Princess is making & adding expiration dates to coffee cards is probably the first step in transitioning to a cruise specific coffee package.

I agree with everythinfg you said BUT

it still shouldn't apply to the coffee cards that were issued prior to them adding expiration dates.

I agree with everythinfg you said BUT

it still shouldn't apply to the coffee cards that were issued prior to them adding expiration dates.

Much like those who purchased the AIBP prior to them changing it should have been grandfathered in!

I have two old coffee cards that we haven’t used in the last few years because we had the beverage package. I won’t be buying that this time around and hope they don’t give me issues using the cards.

This is just like when they went from the AIBP to the PBP and stated that those who had prior purchases or the "Sip and Sail" would be under the new program.

In their passage contract in the fine print they basically state they can change the terms at their will and this looks like they are changing their terms.

Maybe a little less bragging about how to circumvent the system would cause the system to not be changed.

 

Maybe a little less bragging about how to circumvent the system would cause the system to not be changed.

Very true statement and totally agree !

Recently Princess seems to be in a race to the bottom..

All the little things in the past that made Princess stand out as a special experience, are slowly drip by drip disappearing. - In the direction the trend is moving where every possible thing is being monetized to get every last possible cent, can you really see that much difference between Princess and NCL ?

Simply mind boggling that Princess would jeopardize the positive mind set of a repeat multi-thousand dollar customer over making a few extra penny's on left over coffee punches

Sad day...

Srpilo

It would not surprise me if by putting an expiration date on the new coffee cards, the Folks at Princess are trying to comply with Unclaimed Property laws. They had changed the due date on the FCD to comply/record keeping. Almost all states have some kind of laws regarding funds e.g. deposits, Credit cards etc left abandoned or unused. Items when not claimed or used by a specific date revert back to the state, In this case: California.

Has anyone reached out to Princess themselves yet to ask about the new policy? I’d like to hear what they have to say to confirm/deny and answer a few of the questions people are asking here.

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It would not surprise me if by putting an expiration date on the new coffee cards, the Folks at Princess are trying to comply with Unclaimed Property laws. They had changed the due date on the FCD to comply/record keeping. Almost all states have some kind of laws regarding funds e.g. deposits, Credit cards etc left abandoned or unused. Items when not claimed or used by a specific date revert back to the state, In this case: California.

These ships are not registered in the USA so what law could you be thinking of that effects them? GREED law maybe.

If this is to be the new policy, I won’t continue to buy a card nor will I purchase a la carte espresso beverages or the premium drip.

The card was actually a guaranteed buy for me at least every second cruise. I can’t and won’t pound back 15 lattes on a 7 or 10 day. If we’ve had a sleep in, the line is a little long, whatever, I will skip.

Pre dinner decaf lattes are out of the question as a method to try burn up the punches.

Been there done that, it’s like eating a meal twice. Not a good feeling afterwards!

With a tight expiry date and being unsure of ability to cruise again with the same line within what is truly a fairly short time due to the many curves that life throws at you, I’m not willing to gamble on what was my little decadent treat to myself.

The coffee at my work is truly horrendous so I can get by with the concentrate. ;)

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This is just like when they went from the AIBP to the PBP and stated that those who had prior purchases or the "Sip and Sail" would be under the new program.

 

In their passage contract in the fine print they basically state they can change the terms at their will and this looks like they are changing their terms.

 

Maybe a little less bragging about how to circumvent the system would cause the system to not be changed.

Agreed. But when you received or purchased your coffee card weren't they told you that it was good forever for Specialty coffees.

Doesn't that bother you just a little bit that they've changed the rules? (assuming they'll be dating older coffee cards)

Recently Princess seems to be in a race to the bottom..

All the little things in the past that made Princess stand out as a special experience, are slowly drip by drip disappearing. - In the direction the trend is moving where every possible thing is being monetized to get every last possible cent, can you really see that much difference between Princess and NCL ?

 

 

Simply mind boggling that Princess would jeopardize the positive mind set of a repeat multi-thousand dollar customer over making a few extra penny's on left over coffee punches

 

Sad day...

Srpilo

or butter.

Has anyone reached out to Princess themselves yet to ask about the new policy? I’d like to hear what they have to say to confirm/deny and answer a few of the questions people are asking here.

 

 

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So the new cards are contradictory. They say that unused punches can be used on the next voyage and that the card expires at the end of 2018. So if your next voyage is in 2019, does the ‘use on your next voyage clause’ apply, and the unused punches are still valid, or does the expiration clause apply, and you can’t use in 2019. To be determined.

I wonder if the cards themselves expire though, not the punches. That way they keep only the current cards in the market. I really can’t see how they can expect people to cruise more than once a year.

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Agreed. But when you received or purchased your coffee card weren't they told you that it was good forever for Specialty coffees.

Doesn't that bother you just a little bit that they've changed the rules? (assuming they'll be dating older coffee cards)

When we got the coffee card we were told it was good for unlimited brewed coffee, hot chocolate and premium tea for that voyage for the one it was purchased for and 15 punches for specialty coffees that could be used for anyone. When we asked about unused punches we were shown the back of the card that said unused punches were good on the next voyage.

We were never told it was good forever. Only on CC have we heard the good forever part.

Now I will give you that the "next voyage" for many people may be a year or more away.

We have some unused punches we were planning to use on our Spring TA that we had to cancel.

We will see how this plays out as to if we will be able to use them on our next cruise. Will I be disappointed if we can't use them? Yes and No. I always appreciate not having to "pay" for something and unused punches means I'm not paying (yes I know I paid when I bought the card).

On our cruise Mr Indy had a mocha and I had a chai everyday and we have 9 punches left. Out of 15 punches it seems Mr Indy got both drinks each day for one punch.

I think this is an evolving process. How much of it is for all the bragging about circumventing the system, Princess realizing another increased revenue stream or the implementation of the ***** system? Probably a little of all three.

I personally don't have that much involved in this as I am not a coffee drinker and the chai is a treat I can do without if need be. Mr Indy thinks the regular coffee is okay so he would be okay without the brewed coffee also.

I do wonder what will be next. Changed the alcohol package, now changing the coffee card does this means in a few months we will hear an uproar over a change soda package?

 

Now I will give you that the "next voyage" for many people may be a year or more away.

 

 

We will see how this plays out as to if we will be able to use them on our next cruise. Will I be disappointed if we can't use them? Yes and No. I always appreciate not having to "pay" for something and unused punches means I'm not paying (yes I know I paid when I bought the card).

 

 

 

First, how would they know when "the next voyage" is? Let's say on second voyage you use 3 of 8 punches. Do they collect the card at the end of the cruise? Mark it? If they don't what's stopping you from proceeding as we do now.

Also as far as paying ... depending on how many punches you use, you may actually pay more per drink using the card.

I do wonder what will be next. Changed the alcohol package, now changing the coffee card does this means in a few months we will hear an uproar over a change soda package?

The only thing they could do to that one is limit the number of drinks. ;):rolleyes:

We also just got off the Royal Princess yesterday after 20 days. We were shocked to see the expiration date on the cards. Especially considering they made such a deal of regular coffee unlimited on the cruise you get the card, but that all specialty drinks are able to be had as long as there are holes to be punched.

Don't know if it is mentioned or not, but another change friends of our dealt with this past week -- the coffee cards are no longer good for gelatos. You have to pay extra. I would love to see people not buy gelatos so they remove it from ships and put something else in we could really use.:D:D:D:D:D

when we questioned the expiration date, the staff on board seemed ignorant to the date in general. We only used the cards with expiration dates in order to save the ones with no markings.

I would love to see people not buy gelatos so they remove it from ships and put something else in we could really use.

Sure thing.

Maybe they could expand the chocolate shop to use some of the wasted space. :D:D:D:D:D